Constant
by DragonSlayer357
Summary: And I suppose I never realized this before, but he's always been so warm, so steady, a simple constant in my life. Cece/Deuce
1. Prologue: The Catalyst

"Like memories in cold decay, transmissions echoing away, far from the world of you and I, where oceans bleed into the sky..." ~Linkin Park

As I pass from the darkness of sleep into consiousness, I find myself wishing I could sleep forever, because today is the day that she leaves. California's a long way from Chicago.

I turn to the noise that woke me. My phone's buzzing on the floor. It's ten. Deuce is texting, can he come over? I tap out a sure, fingers slow and full of sleep. The phone vibrates again in my fist. He'll be here in five.

I tug a brush through my fiery curls, attempting to fix them a bit. There's not much I can really do.

"Flynn?" I call.

The empty apartment doesn't answer. He's at Henry's again. My oversized T-shirt makes it impossible to tell I'm wearing my favorite pair of pajama shorts, but I don't mind. Deuce won't either. He never does.

_'Important case_,' My mom's scrawl reads from the fridge. _'Had to go in early, staying late.'_

She never signs her notes anymore.

I shovel down some cereal, soggy from milk. I'm halfway through my second bowl when I hear the knocks on the door. I swallow the remains of the bowl, wipe my milk moustache on the sleeve of my shirt, and shuffle to the door.

He's grown a bit over this summer, and it's almost over now, but he's able to look down on me. The inch advantage that he's never going to let go. We stand in silence a moment before his face cracks into a grin. I smile back and let him in.

I pour another bowl (I'm starving) and continue munching. He flicks on the TV to something mindless and we collapse on the couch.

It's eleven before I know it, then twelve and I'm getting dressed. He grabs a sandwich at twelve-thirty and at one we're out the door, heading upstairs to her apartment. Her flight leaves at three, and time's moving much too fast for me.


	2. Chapter 1:Pretty Penny

"Gone, when you wake in the morning, gone, when you find that there's no one sleeping, gone, pretty Penny was her name, she was loved and we all will miss her..." ~Stone Temple Pilots

We make it to her apartment by 1:07. I'm snickering at Deuce's impression of the lady on the third floor, and I tap out our secret knock on the door. All that echoes back is silence.

I let myself in. The whole house is gone, the insides shipped away to San Francisco. She'd been sleeping on an air matress in her room until the flight. I tiptoe my way down the hall.

The door creaks open, and there's neither a sleeping form or an air mattress inside. Just an empty room that once belonged to Rocky. A piece of paper skids across the floor at the draft from the door opening. I pick it up.

_Ce-_

_I figured it'd be better this way._

_Our flight left at 9. Don't bother._

_Keep in touch,_

_Rocky_

A phone number is printed across the bottom. I shove the note into Deuce's hands and slide down the wall to rest on the floor. He looks at me expectantly once he's finished.

"She didn't think I was important enough to stay."

It's not a question.

He nods slowly. "Look, Ce, I'm sure she-"

Tears are leaking out of my eyes, running hot trails down my face. I can feel my lip trembling and my nose beginning to run.

He drops down to rest next to me, opening his mouth, but I don't give him time. My arms find their way around him and I squeeze him tight. He's silent, and I'm laying across his lap, almost all on top of him. He won't mind. He never does.

He rubs my back softly and plays with the ends of my hair while I cry. I don't want to admit it, but it feels nice. After I finish, I stay. He can't see my face through my curtain of hair.

He shifts a little, and I scoot back.

"Sorry..."

He shrugs, "Anytime, chica," winks.

I stare a moment longer.

"Anytime?"

"Yep."

"ANY time?"

"Oh, yeah. Lay all over me all you want." Another wink.

I roll my eyes.

"She left, Deuce. Without saying goodbye."

The brown of his eyes speaks volumes, and this time when he takes me in his arms it's softer, and I can feel his 'I'm sorry' through his chest, even though there are some words we can never quite bring ourselves to say.


	3. Chapter 2: Everlong

"Hello, I've waited here for you, everlong..." ~Foo Fighters

I wake with a start as Dave Grohl's soft voice fills my room. My alarm's set to the Foo Fighters, at Deuce's suggestion. My eyes drift shut and I groan inwardly. Rocky's been gone an entire week, and today's the first day of school.

After I shower, I deicde Foo Fighters aren't half bad, and seeing as Deuce is picing me up in fifteen minutes, I grab my things and drop them by the door. I finish eating, touch up my makeup, and pick the bag up off the floor . Deuce's honking outside for me.

We walk into the door, savoring the first few moments of our junior year. Our first class isn't together, but we have the same lunch, english, science and math. Our favorite bench, all the way back from when Rocky was here (funny, but it hasn't been long at all), is empty so we sit down. I'm engulfed in conversation about the origins of Mariokart when they walk by us. Of everyone, it's Dina.

She's flanked by two, a shaggy-haired boy and a tanned blonde girl. She just gives us a look, like we're disgusting her by staying alive. This, of course, gives the oppurtunity to see her eyes. They're wide, dilated until almost no brown is visible. Her once-beautiful dark hair hangs matted and long. She's lost weight over the summer. I feel Deuce stiffen up next to me. He's sitting, mouth thin, eyes dark. She gives him a look, eyes lingering a little bit too long, examining him, then tosses her hair and leaves.

"She promised," He murmurs from my side.

"She what?"

"Never mind. Some other time. When I'm ready."

"You can't talk to me?"

"She's high, Ce. Drugs. They're going to kill her."

"Drugs, Deuce? In Chicago?"

He laughs at that. "Oh, but of course. Soon, Cece. Just not now."

I leave him at that. We sit in silence until the bell for first period. We're off, me to Spanish, and him to History. He doesn't needhelp with History, at least not that I can give, but he's already promised to help me with my Spanish. After lunch, we head to English together, snagging seats next to each other, then to math, where we're alphabetically seated and he's directly behind me. I'm off to gym for last period, him to some music production class.

After the last bell rings I meet him outside next to his beat up old junkbucket car. I'm sure one of his buddies hooked him up with it. We crash at my house for a while, and I sleep on the couch until he wakes me for dinner. Flynn's arrived, but he begs to go to Henry's because "his mom cooks real food". I just shrug, still half-asleep. Deuce nods at him.

"Go right ahead, little man."

Flynn grins and picks up the phone to call him.

"She's picking me up. I'll go wait downstairs."

"Bye Flynnie, have fun!"

Now I'm alone with Deuce. He talks as if he can read my mind.

"Now we're alooooone, Cece..." He makes a face.

I can't help but laugh. "What the hell was that?"

"That was my sexy face! Didn't you like it?" He pouts.

"It was great! But your face is always sexy!" I lean into him. I'm whispering, my face inches from his.

He clears his throat and leans back a little.

"Do I make you uncomfortable Deuce?" He runs his hand through gelled hair, eyes darting everywhere but me.

"Oh, never!" He winks. "Want to head over to my place?"

"Perv!" I stick out my tongue.

"Let's go, gorgeous!" He grins.

"Your house is more fun anyways. Come on." I grab his hand to drag him out the door.

He winks at me again before shaking his hand free and openng the door for me.

"Let's go, sexy."

This year would be so different with no Rocky.


	4. Chapter 3: Extraordinary Girl

*A/N: I'd just like to thank everyone for reading this, and watching it, and favoriting me! This is my experimental first fanfiction, and I haven't bothered with any notes yet. I'm pretty impressed that this many people like this... I really don't think it's all that good. Anyways, I might like to know more about my readers. You could PM me, if you'd like! Alos, I've got some little fluffies i might be posting soon. I have chapters written for this fic, but they still need to be edited and put in order. This chapter on, the fic will start getting a tad darker, and language, etc. will be used. As long as you don't mind, keep right on enjoying it!

Thank you, all of you! :)

"She's all alone again, wiping the tears from her eyes. Some days he feels like dying, she gets so sick of crying." ~ Green Day

Deuce throws his backpack on the floor next to his bed. His headphones make their way to a low table littered with trash and tattered music magazines. He flops onto the bed and pats the spot next to him.

Someone starts to yell, and he gets up to shut the door, shooting me an apologetic look. Honestly, anything is better than the bitter silence of my house. His old TV flickers to life, buzzing rather loudly. The GameCube plugged to it contains our favorite, Super Smash Brothers. We warm up, getting our thumbs used to mashing the buttons. He's much better than I am, considering he owns the game, but I hold my own, pumping fists when I get lucky and abusing him when he kills me especially brutally. He sneaks out of the room for some leftover Crusty's around 7.

At his return I stand, taking the plate with the plain cheese pizza. It's paper, flimsy and warm in my hands.

"We're classy here." He grins devilishly.

"Definitely." I return the smile halfheartedly.

"Are you alright? I'm not kicking your butt too hard, right?" He seems worried.

"I'm fine!"

Deuce looks at me in disbelief.

"Well, I might like a little-"

He interrupts, winks.

"Pick-me-up?"

He slides closer, breathing into my face, hot and sweet. I'm sandwiched between him and the wall. I can feel my face hetaing up.

" I-I no, I just-" He smirks.

"Calm down."

"I'm perfectly calm!" I huff at him.

"Really?" He whispers, drawing it out and putting his hands on the wall on either side of my head.

"Get off me!" I hit his stomach playfully.

"Are you sure you want me to?" He's still grinning.

"Yes! Move!"

He sighs and backs off. The heat is still in my face, and I'm sure it nearly matches my hair by now. He backs off the bed to adjust his sleeve. I contemplate it a moment, and then stand right in front of him, stretching my arms around his torso. He wrestles his arms away and hugs me in return.

"Deuce," I whisper, my face pressed to his neck. "Why does everything always have to change?"

He smells good, and I inhale him. The movement of his chest, his breathing, and the warmth radiating from his body are just so comfortable. I sigh.

"I wouldn't leave you CeCe. Ever. You know that."

I smile at him.

"As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me," He winks again. "I'd like a drink. Where are they?"

"The fridge. Bring me one?"

I nod. His parents have quieted, but on my way to the kitchen I catch snatches of their conversation.

"... and the men in don't you think she could?"

"No... just started coming around..."

"But Maria was nearly as young..."

I don't want to know what they're talking about. I grab two green cans for us and scramble back to the comfort of his room.

In my absence, Deuce's pulled out a Spanish textbook and is laying on his bed, stretched over its length on his stomach.

"You ready, _amigo_?"

I groan.

"No..."

"_Espanol?"_

"No!"

"Yes! _Si_!" He smiles again. "Please?"

"Fine."

"Alright. Page thirty-seven._ Treinta y siete._"

"Right."

It's a few hours later when we finish everything, and we play more video games late into the night. I could swear as I drift off to sleep that there are silken Spanish voices loving me, _te amo_, and Spanish arms carry me home.

I wake in my bed the next morning, my bed empty of all things Spanish, especially my warm and perfect Deuce.

My mother's gone again.


	5. Chapter 5

"Give me a reason to believe, because you don't want to see me leave. I can't stop the rain, but I can stop the tears. I can fight the fire, butI can't fight the fear." ~ Three Days Grace

I wake from dreams of Rocky confused and exhausted. I feel as if I slept no more than five minutes. There's a strange wetness on my face. I realize I've been crying. My alarm clock readout says 6:03. It's still early enough to fall back asleep, but I don't think I'll be able to now. Her eyes, brown and unreadable, live behind my eyelids.

_Why?_ They're accusing, and I remember my dreams. For being so talkative in reality, she spoke not a word.

Images of my old best friend troubling me the entire time, I manage the school day alright. I pass my Spanish quiz, thanks to Deuce's tutoring. His Cuban family was good for something besides ridiculous eyebrows (for once). I invite him over after school in celebration.

Flynn's home tonight. I fix him up some macaroni and cheese, straight from the box. We don't have many boxes left in the pantry, so I make a mental note to head down to the grocery store after Deuce leaves.

"Mmmmmke mfff shome too!" Deuce calls with his mouth full of chips.

I shoot him a look, but fill a bowl anyway. We eat mac and cheese, fascinated by a sci-fi marathon. At the end of the second _Star Wars _movie Flynn starts to yawn. I ruffle his hair.

"Looks like it's past somebody's bedtime!" I tease. "Go on, Flynnie!"

He sighs but trudges into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He clatters around for about ten minutes, then settles into silence in his room. I give it a while, and halfway through our third movie I go check on him. He's sleeping soundly, snoring slightly. I shut the door quietly and tiptoe out to the couch where Deuce is stuffing his face with popcorn.

"Hey. Calm down fattie!" He pouts. It's damn _adorable_.

"I'm getting sleepy. Will you put me to bed?"

"You're a big boy!" I poke him in the stomach. "You can do it yourself!"

He winks at me. "Please?"

"No!"

"Aww... Goodnight hug?"

I ponder this a moment. Deuce's hugs...

He doesn't wait. He pulls me into him, positioning it so that I'm half laying on top of him on our couch. I look up at him.

"This is awkward."

"You know what would help that?"

"What?"

"This."

Deuce lifts my face with one of his hands. My eyes meet his. He smiles. Pulls me closer. Kisses me. Not that I mind...

His lips are comfortingly soft, and I find it hard to think. He stops, pulls away. Takes a deep breath.

"Oh, Cece, I'm sorry. I thought maybe you-"

"You- I-" I'm finding it hard to come up with a train of thought. "Don't mind, that was great, really." I smile. "I've been waiting."

He grins nervously.

"Me too. Thanks, Ce. I really gotta get going though. Sorry!" He squeezes out from under me on the couch and hurries out the door.

My lips are still warm, soft. I'm alone but for Flynn's soft breathing, and the only boy I've ever cared about just kissed me.

I fall asleep imagining his eyes and his smile, but I wake panting and scared. There's emptiness inside of me.


End file.
